Your Side Of The Tent
by Lluniwr Geiriau
Summary: "Why does she have to share my tent?" "Everyone else is already sharing, it's just a few nights" damn this being friends with couples, nothing good ever comes of it "fine ... but she better keep to her side of the tent" A camping trip gone wrong in some ways but right in so many others. One-shot but I'll more than likely add to it.
1. Chapter 1

Gale glowers at his truck, how could it betray him like this? He'd driven up here at least a hundred times in the last two years and his once faithful truck had never pulled this crap before. His family had also made the trip countless times since childhood and not once had anything this monstrous happened. It was all Mellark's fault, he's the one who insisted, he's the one who piled the bags too high and now not only was most of the food gone but they were a tent short too

"Whose tent is missing?" Katniss asked, making her way to the truck bed where he and Peeta were standing. He knew whose tent was missing, it was by far the biggest of the lot and cost more than all of his camping gear put together. It was nothing short of a mobile home

"Madge's" Mellark tells her, he looks so upset about it. Like Undersee losing her brand new gear, that'll never be used again is a genuine disaster "she was just so excited about this" he grimaces and I have to roll my eyes at the stupidity of it all

"What else is missing?"

"Nothing important" Mellark shrugs, still looking like a sick puppy

"Only all our food" I glower

"We've still got beer though right?" Darius jokes, only he's probably deadly serious

"And we do still have some food" Katniss points out

"So the alcohol is alright?"

"Yes Darius, you can still get wasted and irritate us all the whole time we're here" she deadpans "where's everyone else?"

"They wanted to set up a little closer to the lake. Grab a bag, let's go" with a duffel bag slung over each shoulder and my rucksack on my back we follow Darius down towards the lake where the others haven't even started on their tents but have a huge campfire roaring

"The alcohol has arrived" Finnick claps his hands and hurries to take a beer from the crate Darius carries and some stupid ready-made cocktail in a pouch for Annie. They were Undersee's idea "It's about time"

"We had some trouble" Peeta explains, still looking like he might cry

"Is everything alright?" ugh, Undersee with her concern, the pair of them are just so tragic

"Madge I'm so sorry, it's all my fault. Your stuff is gone" I can't say I'm surprised when she glances at me. She probably thinks I gunned it up the beaten, old, barely there road just in the hopes her bags would be thrown from the truck bed

"Gone?"

"Your tent, it must have fallen off the truck. I'm so sorry"

"Peeta it's fine, I had all my essentials with me"

"But it was brand new"

"Peeta it's alright"

"We'll sort something" Katniss comforts him, the guy's a pansy "right Madge?"

"Right" she grins.

I'm finishing up and checking the pegs on my tent when Katniss ambles over. I don't know when she became the type to get drunk by the fire before getting her pitch set up but she's lost a slither of my respect because of it. Bloody Mellark

"You guys should really start putting your tents up, it'll be dark before long"

"We'll get to it" I remember when Katniss was more pro-active about this sort of thing, before Mellark made her soft. She'd have been telling me off "Hey Gale?"

"Ya?"

"Can Madge share your tent?" I stop mid breath and gape at her like she's the idiot she sounds like

"You can't be serious"

"Gale it's not a big deal"

"Why does she have to share my tent?" I ask sounding desperate, I am

"Everyone else is already sharing a tent, it's just a few nights" damn this being friends with couples, nothing good ever comes of it

"Can't she just squeeze in with you and Mellark? It's not like she'd be _interrupting anything_"

"Screw you Gale" she snarls

"I'm not sharing a tent with her"

"Stop being so stubborn you big baby"

"It's not cold out, can't she just sleep under the stars or something" to that Katniss' face morphs to look like thunder. Yeah Mellark make her forget all sense of responsibly but let her keep the temper "fine ... but she better keep to her side of the tent"

"Such a child" Katniss mutters, rolling her eyes and trampling a path back to the bonfire without a second glance at her tent.

By the time actually using the tents comes around everyone is much too drunk to do a decent job of putting them up. Still they try and the results are probably a health hazard but that's not my problem. My current problem is sat opposite me, shivering a little bit while I sip at a beer

"So, your sleeping bag is set up in the tent" I mutter without looking at her

"You shouldn't have" she answers, much too cheerily

"Had to get your stuff out of the way"

"Oh I see, well sorry" she fidgets awkwardly in her spot and shivers again

"That air mattress is big enough for three people, you don't need it" but I blew it up anyway and now I'll be squished into the side of the tent like some sort of overgrown sardine

"The man at the store- he said it was the best. Retains heat or something" I roll my eyes, not necessarily at her but I doubt that guy has ever been camping

"It's a waste" you're not supposed to be comfortable when camping, that's the whole point

"Yes well I- I'll um- don't worry, I'll stick to my side of the tent" she sounds hurt and I hate it. I don't mean to do it, she just bugs me. Always so perfect and proper, immaculately dressed and unintentionally waving her family's money about.

I finish the last of my beer in one and follow her to the tent. She's still in her climbing clothes but she's crawled into her sleeping bag and she has her back to me. Her boots, sturdy and practical yet obviously stupidly expensive, are set at the foot of her mattress. Next to them, her rucksack and next to that, a small toiletry bag. I can smell her toothpaste lingering in the small space along with something decidedly girly.

I brush my teeth and spray on some deodorant outside the tent. I tell myself it's so I don't wake up smelling like strawberries but I really don't want to stink of sweat and smoke if I'm going to have to sleep in close quarters with her. Deciding that's enough grooming for three days of camping, I climb back in to the tent and try to maneuver my shoulders in to the gap between the bloody air mattress and the tent wall

"Gale" Madge sighs, startling me "just sleep on the damn air bed would you. I'm not going to jump you" seeing it's my only viable option I roll on to the mattress and sink in to its plushness "see lots of room, no need to be anywhere near each other" she grits, gesturing to the foot of air bed separating us. She turns her back on me again for a second before whirling back over to face me "you don't have to be so rude you know. I'm actually quite a nice person, there's no need for you to be so cruel" where did _that_ come from? He knew Madge had a bit of fire in her, quite a bit more than a bit actually. He'd seen her stick up for herself before and he'd seen her lose her temper but he'd never been on the receiving end "I don't know what you think of me, whether you've got some childish notion about cooties or think you're so irresistible I'm going to try and have my way with you while you sleep but let me tell you, you're wrong. You have no reason to dislike me and I don't deserve all the crap you give me" she takes a breath "I'll keep to _my side_ of the tent Gale Hawthorne but only if you keep your opinions to yourself" I stare up at the crease in the tent, grinning ear to ear. Years of built up frustration and she was finally letting me have it. I'm proud of her

"I didn't bring it up because I was worried about you keeping to your side" I murmur, still smiling to myself "I said it because I knew I couldn't keep to mine" when she turns fully to face me, I can't meet her gaze but I can feel it on me

"You mean-?"

"I mean, I like you" I tell her and she sits up and tangles her fingers in the ends of her hair

"But you're always such an ass"

"It's frustrating" I shrug "to like someone who wouldn't spare you a second thought. Do you know how that feels?!" I stress defensively

"Yes!" Madge fumes back angrily "yes I do, you've been doing it to me for years!" her cheeks flush pink with irritation and her chest is heaving "at least I've always been _civil_. You're a jerk! I thought you hated me!"

"I thought _you _hated me!" that's not strictly true. I know she never hated me, maybe once when I punched dear Cato but he had his arm draped around her and he gave me an excuse when his football hit me in the back of the head. I also knew that was an accident, he had actually tried to apologize but I cut him off with my knuckles. It had only made things worse when she glared at me and immediately focused on stopping the blood flowing from his nose. He'd given her a dazzling smile, flashing bloody teeth and genuine happiness and I'd realized what I'd done. He was technically innocent and I'd more than likely broken his nose and if they weren't together already, they would be after that little incident. By some miracle, Madge and Cato never did become official, apparently there was never anything to make official. They're just annoyingly close

"You're drunk" Madge narrows her eyes at me

"I've had two beers"

"You're not drunk?"

"I'm not drunk" I clarify.

There's a moments silence where we stare each other down and then her face is in my hands and my tongue is in her mouth and she's straddling my waist. Combing my fingers through her ringlets feels better than I ever imagined it would and palming the soft supple skin on her bare thighs is out of this world. When she tugs on the hairs at the back of my neck I groan and our lips separate. She pulls back panting and as beautiful as she looks I want her lips back on mine "don't stop" I beg, my lips grazing her jaw but instead of kissing me she lifts my chin so our eyes meet and bites her lip. I know that means she's nervous but it turns me on more than words can describe. Her hands untangle from my hair and come to rest on my chest, she worries her lip a bit more before dragging her hands down my torso, when they land on my belt buckle I choke on my next breath.


	2. Chapter 2

So when I wake up the following morning with fresh air filling my lungs, a ginormous weight off my shoulders and Madge Undersees full, perky boobs in my hands, it's safe to say good morning.

I decide not to wake her, I'm not ready to talk about where we might stand after last night.

"Morning Hawthrone" Darius nods at me as I take a seat in the camping chair beside his

"Are you seriously drinking already?"

"Hair of the dog" he mutters, lifting the bottle to his lips

"Breakfast won't be long, bacon and pancakes alright Gale?" I nod at Mellark, he's too damn nice but I'm in a good mood

"Sounds great" his answering smile is nauseating

"How was it?" Darius mutters and I almost jump out of my skin

"How was what?"

"Sharing your tent"

"She doesn't snore" I tell him matter of factly

"Sounds magical" he teases and I hide my smirk with my coffee mug, if only he knew.

One by one my friends emerge from their tents, every time I hear a zip I freeze. What do I say to her? Do I say anything?

She makes the decision for me, closing the tent before greeting everyone at once and taking a seat as far away from me as possible

"How did everyone sleep?" she asks, producing a little box of tea bags and sugar sachets "would anyone prefer tea? Darius?" she laughs, eyeing his beer bottle. As conversation stirs I watch her, waiting for some sign of how I should proceed. She avoids looking at me completely so I force her hand

"Undersee" I call "you got any sugar left in the bag of yours?"

"Sure" she hands me a handful of sachets, not reacting in any way to the touch of our skin and goes back to what she was doing. Well fuck her, if that's how she wants it, fine.

Only I don't get to ignore her and act like nothing happened. I did not sign up for this bullshit, though I should have seen it coming. _Of course_, all the couples pair off and Madge and I are stuck in the same canoe, _of course_ she's wearing tiny wripped denim shorts.

"I can paddle too if you'd like?" she calls from the back of the canoe as we follow the others out on to the lake "we could have one oar each and paddle opposite sides?"

"It wouldn't be equal, I'd rather just do it myself"

"If you're sure?"

"I'm sure" I don't turn around when I hear her fidgeting with something and I don't turn when her movements start rocking the canoe but when cold water splashes the back of my neck I drop the oars and whirl around to face her. She freezes like a deer caught in headlights, the lid of a tupperware container still in the water "Seriously Undersee?

"Seriously back to calling me Undersee? I just wanted to help"

"With a tupperware lid?"

"You wouldn't give me an oar!"

"You wouldn't even look at me" I grit through clenched teeth. We're both quiet for a long time and then she scoots forward on her bench

"I didn't know where we stood either. I thought it mightve just been a lay for you so that's what I set myself up for"

"But _you_ undid _my_ belt"

"You told me you liked me"

"An oversight, clearly" at that she sucks in a deep breath then snarls at me

"Fuck you Hawthorne" she spits, diving from the canoe and swimming back towards camp

"You already did" I shout after her.

I stay out on the lake with the others for an hour or so, just drifting around alternating between hating her and hating myself.

We have no choice but to head back when stomachs start growling but at this point I'm ready to starve.

There's voices drifting from camp as we near the shore. A small part of me is disappointed she isn't moping around like I was but then I hear an obnoxious laugh that makes my teeth hurt and I want to tear my hair out

"Hey guys" Madge beams when she sees we've returned "I invited Cato and some of the others up to join us for the day. I hope you don't mind but they brought food"

No one minds, in fact everyone seems buzzed for the arrival of the newcomers, but no one asked me.

I last fifteen minutes of whatever drinking game they'd concocted before the very sight of Madge and Cato in such close proximity makes me want to hurt something.

I amble through the trees near camp, cussing and muttering to myself before coming to rest against a huge pine. I finish the two beers I'd grabbed before leaving and start to feel sleepy when voices approach and I roll my eyes in annoyance. In a split second decision I duck down, realising one of the approaching is Cato. The two come to a stop not far from me and I deliberate on making myself known

"I ove you so much" he tells them and my gut twists, it must be Madge "I do I love you so damn much"

"I hate hiding it" holy shit! That's not madge! I pop my head out from behind the tree so my eyes can clarify what my ears are hearing and I almost fall over. Cato has Rye Mellark's face in his hands and he's stroking his cheek with his thumb "I hate having to sneak around"

"Oh come on the sneaking around is hot" they kiss, deeply and I want to leave, give them the privacy they obvioously wanted

"Soon okay?" Cato tells him "we'll leave this place and nothing and no one will stop us being together. Now we have to get back to Madge, that's why we're here after all"

"I don't know why she likes him so much, he's cute but he's an asshole"

"He's cute huh?" Cato chuckles

"Don't worry babe, he's not my type"

"Well not everyone's as fortunate as you when it comes to men"

"True that" their voices trail off as they head back toward the light of the bonfire and I find myself laughing, hysterically. All this time I'd been so jealous of him, I'd thought she hated me.

I head back to camp, determined I'm gonna get my girl.

She's having none of it. I try to catch her eye but she's not looking anywhere near my direction. Instead she laughs at whatever it is Cato whispers to her and drinks whenever she messes up her turn in the game. It's not very often she has to drink but I want her to be sober when we talk.

I realise I'm going to have to try harder and enlist some help.

"Hey Mellark?" I call over at Rye, taking anyone paying attention by surprise "help me with the ceg?"

"Um sure" he nods, throwing a wary glance at Madge and Cato before following me to the van they drove up

"So here's the thing" I begin when we're far enough from the group "I need your help with Undersee"

"Not a chance"

"Hey no wait" I stop him before he can turn fully to leave "I know you don't think much of me okay. I've never been all that nice to Madge and I don't get on with your boyfriend but-"

"Excuse me" he turns on me, half panicked, half furious

"Sorry, I- shit. Look I saw you together earlier and it just slipped out"

"Hawthorne" his voice is shaking and it throws me to see someone as tough as him so vulnerable. He thinks I'm going to tell

"Don't worry, I'm not going to out you. Actually, good for you, you know"

"Hawthorne if you're taking the piss, I swear-"

"Mellark, Rye, relax. If we were friends, I'd be happy for you"

"You're not going to tell anyone?"

"You're secret's safe with me"

"If I help you with Madge?"

"No man, fuck! I'm _asking_ for your help not blackmailing you for it. I thought she and Cato were like a thing so him being gay and being with you is sort of a blessing"

"Is that why you're such a dick to them?" he almost laughs then his face gets serious "because that's so high school"

"Yeah well, high school jock at your service"

"You're having a bad day huh?"

"Fucking worst" I tell him and kick a pebble because it almost made me turn over on my ankle. I think he's going to tell me to run along after we're quiet for a while when he faces me

"You've got a lot of making up to do, but maybe start by dropping Undersee for something a little softer, _like Madge_? Actually" he smirks "she likes it when you call her Princess".


End file.
